Tottenham Transfer Rumour: Real Madrid Plan Midfielder Swap with Spurs

Real Madrid are ready to offer anchorman Lassana Diarra to Tottenham Hotspur as a bait to sign playmaker Luka Modric, according to the Mirror.

Modric's future at White Hart Lane is in doubt again, after Spurs' Champions League hopes for next season ended with Chelsea's win over Bayern Munich on Saturday. The Croatian had earlier stated that he would consider his future at the club after the summer's European Championships and it now seems keeping the 26-year-old will be all the more difficult.

Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has identified Modric as a top target and is ready to table a player-plus-cash deal involving Diarra.

The Frenchman, who has only one year left on his contract at Madrid, is set to leave the La Liga champions in search of regular first team football and Turkish giants Fenerbahce were rumoured to be close to signing the 27-year-old. But the report claims that Diarra would be interested in a move back to the Premier League to link up with Spurs manged Harry Redknapp, who had mentored him during his stint at Portsmouth.

Redknapp himself is a big fan of Diarra, having expressed his admiration for the midfielder several times. Spurs even made attempts to snap up the former Arsenal and Chelsea player last summer.

Mourinho is keen to exploit this interest in his bid to sign Modric, who will reportedly hand in a transfer request this summer as well. The player, who is currently preparing for Croatia's upcoming Euro 2012 campaign, had publicly expressed his desire to move to Chelsea last season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham remain favourites to sign Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen.

It is understood that Vertonghen has insisted he still wants to join Spurs, dismissing fears growing at White Hart Lane that missing out on Champions League football could see the Belgian turn his back on a move to north London.

The two clubs have held talks but still have not agreed on a transfer fee, with Spurs reportedly tabling an initial offer of £8.1 million for the defender who has only one year left on his contract, while the Dutch champions believed to be holding out for around £12 million.

However, Vertonghen has informed Ajax that they cannot price him out of a move and will hand in a transfer request in order to push through a transfer, according to Goal.com.

Redknapp is planning more negotiations on the deal this week as Spurs face the tough task of keeping hold of their top guns and trying to bring in new quality recruits without the promise of Europe's elite competition.